Betting on the winning love
by kdlovehg
Summary: He's just a boy. I'm not his girl. Peeta Mellark, the new entrepreneur and chef. Katniss Everdeen a new owner at the Hunger Games Derby. How will she choose between her father's business, her mother's fortune, her best friend, her sister's dreams, her childhood crush, a new male potential lover and her future. For the betting: A clash of horses, a trail of love and the perfect act.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Not just a knife wound

Katniss pov

"What the damn hell is wrong with that little mother-". Her screams and swears erupt through the room while I stare at the blood dripping from my hand. The knife falls from my grasp and I curse from the sharp pain spreading through my being as a sick feeling settles in my stomach. I've never been good with blood, and I believe I've been squeamish since birth, if that's even possible. Her voice fades into the background as my vision begins to become blurry and I can feel the sweat sliding down my forehead as my breathing becomes ragged and my legs turn weak. The only thing I can hear is my heart thumping as everything fades from existence except for the blood seeping through the cut in my hand.

I jump back as a hand lands on my shoulder and my eyes instantly lock on the figure before me. Her reds lips are moving yet I can't make out any words but fortunately I begin to get my hearing back after a moment. "Damn, brainless what's wrong with you? Who the hell holds the sharp point of a knife? Hey! Are you even listening? Your okay right?" her voice - which softens as she finishes shouting - is evident with both frustration at my stupidity but concern for my current wellbeing.

I nod at the girl before me, her wide-set brown eyes fill with panic and disgust at what must be my repulsive form. She keeps her grip on me for a few moments longer before deciding I'm stable enough to stand on my own.

She hesitantly lowers her arm and subtly wipes her hand against the right leg of her faded blue jeans before leaning down and picking up the knife beside my feet - now coated with my fresh blood - and placing it on the left of the counter, before reminding me to dispose of it when I get the chance. She then picks up my injured hand and cradles it in hers - something in itself that terrifies me as she is never gentle - and apologises profusely, while gently turning my hand to assess the damage from clutching a blunt blade to tight.

Seconds later she drops my hand and turns to her mother's medicine cabinet where she retrieves a first aid kit with its contents spilling through the sides, which was given to her mother by my mother. She opens it and ruffles through the items before turning back to me and placing the box on the opposite side of me. Leaning across me, she grabs a cup and fills it up with water. She then grabs a kitchen towel from beside the sink and puts it under my hand before slowly pouring the ice cold water onto my fresh wound.

I flinch and hiss as the cold liquid makes contact with my wound creating a burning feeling. The cut begins at my thumb - as I had my whole hand wrapped around the blade -and travels across my palm to my pinkie and pain shoots through me along with a stinging sensation every time I move my hand. She then proceeds to clean the cut with soap for five minutes before drying my wet hand, moving carefully around my skin's opening.

"It's your fault" I mummer as I glare at her, "you made me cut my skin and you made me bleed".

"Glad I was the first" she jokes, trying to lighten the mood but the idea disgusts me and my eyes widen as I wrinkle my nose in horror.

"Sorry, I haven't done this before" she says honestly before placing the kitchen towel and soap next to the knife and searching for another item from the first aid kit.

"Clearly", I say as she pulls out a bandage and raises an eyebrow, challenging me to make a comment again. Growing silent I patiently stand while she wraps the bandage around my hand before cutting the fabric with scissors and tying it off. I bite back a curse as the harsh material rubs against my sore wound.

" I don't know how to stop it bleeding and I don't want to put something on it that will make the pain worse...I really am sorry Kat" she says stepping back before smirking, "But you can't blame me brainless, I always make things bleed, but their normally animals... well most of the time".

"Forget it" I mummer as if it was my mainly fault even though she's the reason I got hurt in the first place.

We both stand silent for a few moments before she breaks out in a string of swears and stomps into the living room suddenly remembering why she came here. With every step she makes wild hand gesture's while describing her latest breakup - but can you really break up when it was only a fling? That's one thing about my friends, they all end up having severe mood swings especially around me. I'm considered the counsellor to all my friends and my parents colleagues as I'm constantly asked for advice and favours.

Shaking my head I follow her and cross my arms as I lean against the door frame, still feeling light-headed while she curses the boys name - something beginning with an T, Thomas, Thresh maybe? - which I keep missing due to the speed of her speaking. Every time she shoots a rhetorical question towards me I remain silent mentally disagreeing with most of her thoughts yet knowing that if I have my input it will end with an argument and neither of us are in the right mind for that.

I release a heavy sigh as I see the bright headlights of her mother's car through the window knowing we have 5 minutes alone at most. Deciding I should try to diffuse her rant I interrupt her just as she begins to kick her furniture and tug on the roots of her short brown hair in frustration. "Hey, calm down" I say calmly but begin to raise my voice slightly when she ignores me "Johanna calm down! He's not worth it, just go find someone else to f-". She keeps her gaze trained on mine and slowly her breathing slows back to normal and her hands fall to her sides as she gives up.

"But he is", she says collapsing onto the couch she was just attacking "I'm an idiot".

"No you're not" I say trying to make her feel better.

"Your right, that's what you're for". I stare blankly at her, unamused. "I never should have broken up with him, or his bed".

I watch as a tear slides down her cheek and she grabs the pillow beside her, burying her face in it. She then groans loudly, "Ugh, my sex-life is over".

"No its not Jo" I say moving over to her and swiping the pillow from her grasp as she places her face in her hands and sobs dramatically. I stare immovable as I watch my friend of 6 years break down crying, well more like whimpering, for the first time in years. He must have been good. I awkwardly move over and sit beside her on the couch.

"What are you doing?" I whisper unsure if what I'm seeing is real or a figment of my imagination.

"I'm crying, what the hell do you think I'm doing!" she snaps shooting me a glare. I mummer an apology before cautiously wrapping my arms around her and the second I do she pulls me tight and cries. Well this is awkward, and kind of depressing seeing her like this. "No" she says sharply as she separates herself from me and wipes away her tears. Meanwhile I hear the front door unlock, "there will be more, there will always be more".

"Yeah" I say yet I don't sound nearly as encouraging as I'd hoped.

She dashes upstairs as soon as the front door opens revealing her mother. I quickly rush over to help her as she brings in her weekly shopping, "Hello, oh. Thank you dear" she says as I take four bags of food from her hands. Walking into the kitchen I put the shopping on the floor and quickly grab the knife before shoving it under the belt at my waist, so its hidden behind my back. I then position myself so she wouldn't see the knife and quickly unpack the bags, placing all the tins in the cupboards and all the drinks in the fridge. Just as I'm picking up the apples she comes in and walks over to turn the kettle on. While the water was boiling she grabbed two cups and put a teabag in each of them. I finish unpacking in silence and place all the fruit outside in a bowl on the dining table which is next to a vase of flowers, such as white flowers and bluebells giving the home a warm yet elegant feel.

Once I'm done I go back into the kitchen to see Johanna's mother leaning on the opposite side of the island in the middle of the kitchen. As soon as I approach her she slides a cup of tea over to me before taking a sip of her own. "Hi Katniss", she says politely. I smile before taking a sip of my own.

"Hi Mrs Mason" I reply. Unlike her daughter, Mrs Mason is a very caring women and all around a lovely person, just as long as you don't get on her bad side.

I watch her as she lowers her cup to offer me a sweet smile, "So what are you doing around here again? Hasn't Jo scared you off yet?" she jokes. That's one thing I love about Jo's mum, she always treats you like a friend and mother not just a guest.

"No" I say shaking my head along with an airy chuckle "Still here", but not for much longer.

"Oh" she says nodding her head slightly as she pulls her cardigan tighter around her body, "Jo broke up with another boy".

I slowly nod my head in response as I take a sip of my tea, sighing in delight at the warm liquid that travels down my throat, "Clearly", I say lowering my cup, placing it back on the island, "I think she's doing well though. You know, moving on". I don't enlighten her to the idea that her daughter isn't actually in a real relationship but just someone to flirt and sleep with.

"Good" she mummers and I can faintly hear her music playing, from upstairs.

"It's just a phase" she concludes glancing at the ceiling with a look of hope.

"I guess" I say deciding not to tell her about the how her daughter broke down crying just moments ago. "Anyway" I quickly chug the rest of my drink, then place the empty mug back on the island before wiping my lips with my sleeve, "I have to go, but thank you for the tea".

"You're welcome Katniss" she replies before leaning over to give me a hug and then puts the cups in the sink.

"Bye" I say taking my exit before she can see what's behind my back. I shoot her a short wave before I leave the kitchen, pass through the living room and go to the front door.

Slipping on my shoes I grab my brown leather satchel and slide it onto my shoulder before opening the door and shutting it behind me. Sighing I slump my shoulders and smile as I feel some of the tension leave my body. Yet for some reason I have a bad feeling as I watch the sky turn dark and can feel light rain fall on my clothes as it begins to soak me through.

Just as I'm crossing through the park to my house, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I quickly pull it out of my pocket and unlock it before my ringtone starts playing, alerting me that I have a caller. I quickly slide my thumb across the screen to answer it before pressing my phone to my ear. "Hello", I say realizing that I never checked for the caller's id.

"Katniss!" the voice that is so distinctly Mrs Everdeen, my mother, weeps.

"Hey, mum? What's the matter?" I say desperately wondering if something happened to Prim.

"I was with a patient and didn't go with him, I should of gone to see him, it's all my fault" she panics.

"Okay, okay, calm down, what's going on?", I plead squinting through the rain as my walking pace speeds up down the driveway to my house, "Mum tell me! Please", I beg as tears well up in my eyes.

I listen as she cries through the phone "Oh, God. There's so much blood. I can hear him screaming. He's in so much pain and-".

"Who?!" I interrupt, "What's going on you need to tell me dammit!".

"It's your father", she stutters "H-he".

"Mum! Please!" I beg as I approach my door, my body shaking, whether it's from the rain or the sheer fear of what could have happened, I'm not sure.

I listen intently as fear surrounds me and all my muscles tense in anticipation before she chokes out, "there's been an explosion".

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Hope you enjoyed! Please review, I love to hear your feedback! :)


	2. Fear vs Hope

Chapter 2: Fear vs. Hope

Katniss pov

White, so bland, empty, maybe I should repaint. Start fresh. There's no creativity, no sense of a future. Not that I have one. I need motivation not a setback in my life. Why can't everything be simple? This is typical though, just when things start figuring themselves out for me something has to come along and ruin everything.

One step forward and five steps back.

Shifting my gaze I glance around my room still in a daze of everything that's happened, exams are starting in a few weeks, Johanna had a breakup (if you could call it that?) that she cried over and my dad's been in an explosion. Just a regular day, and I thought I would have a life without drama. What a fool I was. I take a shaky breath in and as much as I try to prevent it, a sob escapes me. I look to my right and my eyes stop and land on my phone with its cracked screen as I remember what happened yesterday.

* * *

 _"It's your father", she stutters "H-he"._

 _"Mum! Please!" I beg as I approach my door, my body shaking, whether it's from the rain or the sheer fear of what could have happened, I'm not sure._

 _I listen intently as fear surrounds me and all my muscles tense in anticipation before she chokes out, "there's been an explosion". I feel sick as terror seizes me. It feels like my heart has stopped and everything around me fades away as I go over what I've just heard. Dad, my Dad, my friend, father, teacher, he's been in an explosion. No, no, if I don't except it, it can't be true right? This isn't what's meant to happen. This wasn't planned!_

 _I press my hand against a tree trunk outside my house and lean on it to stabilize myself as dizziness settles over me. My fears clouding my thoughts like a mist._

 _I stand there as I hear my mother weeping on the other line but I can't bring myself to say anything and without a moment's hesitation I hang up knowing if she speaks then its real. She'll understand, I hope. My eyes begin to fill with tears as the stress from my life overwhelms me and I pull on my hair before releasing a high pitched scream._

 _Strangers pass by sending me panicked glances but I just scream at them to 'leave me alone' and chase some of them away, literally. I can imagine why no one would want to help not that they could do anything. Its pouring with rain and I most likely look a mess with my soaked appearance and dishevelled hair as well as the fact that I'm at my house. If anyone came near me they would probably think they were trespassing and if I made a complaint then they could suffer punishment - most likely floggings with me as a witness - why take the risk?_

 _I slowly lower my hands and it takes all my strength not to drop to my knees as a panic attack overtakes me. I stand their facing my front door before I begin screaming again, only this time I'm shouting at the sky knowing this isn't helping. "Are you serious?! Yeah real funny" I shout as the rain pours down harder, "What's your problem. Why me? Why? What did I do wrong?!" I say as I break down in tears before my anger gets the better of me and I raise my arm, launching my phone at the tree a few metres from me watching the screen smash to pieces._

 _I try to calm my breathing and I close my eyes tight as I try to ignore all the attention i'm getting. He doesn't deserve this. I walk in a haphazard fashion; my steps in different directions like a drunk person as my body sways from side to side. Choking back more tears I collapse harshly falling onto my knees as the rain pours down relentlessly on my shivering body as I struggle to pull myself together, knowing that once I full apart, its over._

* * *

Since then I've only gotten a few hours of sleep (4 at most) in 20 to 30 minute swatches. My head throbs painfully and even breathing hurts.

Ok, so throwing my phone wasn't the smartest thing to do but people do stupid stuff when their worried. My dad's my favourite person besides Prim and if I lose him... I just can't. Now when it comes to my phone, I fixed it, kind of except I can't use the touch screen anymore but I can answer calls and listen to music using my headphones not that it helps the situation.

Sighing I push myself into a sitting position and glance out my window - slightly covered in grime - it's still dark outside and I'm really tired but no matter what I try I can't get to sleep. I should be with him. I've tried ignoring what I heard today because there's nothing I can do, without my phone working efficiently I can't call Dad - not that he'd pick up anyway, he never liked those 'crazy gadgets' - and I have no license so I can't drive, well that and the fact that I don't own a car along with the whole district. People only use them in serious emergencies. Prim doesn't even know; gosh, I dread to know what she'd think. She's like me and although she wasn't as close to dad, she still loved him and knowing her as well as i do, she'd fall apart along with the rest of this family but if something happens... I don't know if I'll be able to pull her together let alone myself.

Eventually I give up and succumb to the reality that I'll be going on 48 hours with little sleep and no new news. That's the worst, knowing something happened and you can't do anything, it makes me feel horrible for all the times we fought and a simple 'sorry' would make everything better when I argued and upset him.

Why do all the nice people have to suffer when those who you truly hate get away with everything. It's not fair.

Pushing off my covers I crawl out of bed and stumble slightly as my feet find purchase on the floor. I decide that I could use some fresh air to clear my head so I can think logically. I mean that's supposed to help right? I quickly exit my room with only the moonlight as a source of light and walk down the short hallway, smiling at memories from when i was with my younger sister and we would stay up all night or sneak downstairs, early on Christmas day to open presents and see my father dressed up in a ridiculously ratty Santa Claus outfit. It was stupid but was one of my fondest memories apart from hunting but theirs still more to come and I scold myself for ever thinking negatively. He'll be fine, he's a trooper.

Walking past my parents room I glance inside Prim's dimly lit room. She only got her own room a year ago and I doubt she'll get used to it anytime soon as I've noticed on more than one occasion that she'll come in my or my parents room stating that she can't sleep and has to stay with us. Now its empty though, she spends the majority of her time at an advanced medical school which i'm still paying for, yet it still has her few possessions, only 5 more years and she's back home with a PHD in science and bachelor of science in nursing most likely with a job as a nurse. Well, unless she buys a house or flat.

The house is deadly silent as the only other creature here is Prim's mangy ginger cat; buttercup who I dare not wake as she'll hiss at me and i'm not in the mood to put up with her. I quietly walk downstairs cringing as the stairs creak with each step but I try to be as careful as possible, not to disturb anyone but freeze when I hear the cat lowly meow as if a warning. I wait a second before moving again, scared of waking the small beast up and trying to use the silence to drown out the sound of my heart thumping against my ribs.

Let me just say Prim is a lovely person but when it comes to her cat, similar to me, if she's woken up early by you, you're on her kill list and it doesn't help she has super sensitive hearing skills, I'm lucky she's in a deep sleep for once... and that she doesn't have sharp claws.

Once I'm downstairs I glance through the small rectangular window in the front door to see that the streetlights are off, meaning no-one is walking past our house and the area is silent. Moving away I use the wall as a guide so I can pass through the living room before I use the furniture as help. Due to it being dark and the curtains being closed I can't see very well but I can vaguely make out the outlines of some of our possessions as I wait for eyes to adapt to the lack of light.

After a while I finally come in contact with the backdoor but not because of my skills but because I walked straight into it, knocking me to the floor. I mentally curse at the glass doors, because their see through and that doesn't help as the sky - the background - is practically black and blends in with the surroundings.

I force myself up and grasp around for a moment before coming in contact with the handle and I push it down to hear it unlock. Yes. I silently thank my mother for only using a single lock tonight, so I can open it from the inside, before i open the door and go outside, shutting it behind me.

Once I'm in the garden I take a deep breath and smile as I inhale the smell of fresh cut grass which reminds me of my second home - the forest. The moon's out today and the garden's brightened by lights inside houses. Not only that but there's a gentle breeze, yet I can't see many stars which leaves me feeling alone. Moving forward I decide to sit down on the grass, under the moonlight and I wrap my arms around my knees in an effort to warm myself up as I think of the secrets I shared with my father. There's nothing we haven't told each other. Usually I would love the breeze but after a while I begin to despise it as I lose my concentration and it begins to feel like a viscous slap of reality.

I feel horrible, I'm acting as if he died. I mean he hasn't, they would have told my already. What if he died and my mother always secretly hated me so she's grieving over losing him without me and plans to never tell me? No I refuse to think that. I'm just paranoid.

All I have to do is continue as if everything were normal. I wonder if Gale knows, probably not as he wasn't close to him like I was. He only met him once by accident. I know what I'll do, I'll simply wait, if I can outlive the fear then hope come next right?

Suddenly the street lamps opposite the wall surrounding my garden flicker to life clearing my vision.

Just as my eyes began to drift closed I see two headlights as a vehicle drives down the alleyway that leads to our house along with a few others which are more broken down. I could guess who it was but I can't see the car properly so it's a lot harder. It must be a mistake, car's are only used in severe emergencies but if someone near me died then maybe my father can live on? An eye for an eye. A life for a life. Its worth it.

I guess there is some light in the darkness, or so I thought.

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 **Hi!** **Hope you enjoyed! Oh and thank you to those who added this to their followed and favourite books, I've already started the next few chapters. Please write a review, I love to hear your feedback! :)**

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